Turquoise water and sandstone cliffs frame the cove you see, protected as an ecological reserve since 1929 and San Diego's most photographed natural feature. La Jolla is Spanish for the jewel, or possibly a Spanish approximation of a Kumeyaay word — the etymology is disputed. What is not disputed is the cove's remarkable natural setting: a small, protected beach backed by sandstone cliffs, its turquoise water so clear and the marine life so abundant that it has been a protected ecological reserve since 1929.
California sea lions and harbor seals haul out on the rocks year-round and are so accustomed to human presence that they barely look up. The underwater ecosystem supports leopard sharks, garibaldi fish, and diverse kelp forest communities. La Jolla village above the cove is its own small city of art galleries, boutique hotels, and restaurants, centered on Prospect Street.
The area has been a destination for wealthy Southern Californians since the 1900s, and the real estate here is among the most expensive in the state. The proximity of UC San Diego and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography — just to the north — has layered a significant scientific and academic population onto the village's tourist and wealthy residential character.